It is that time again, the new season is here and I will make my annual Bold MLS Season Predictions.

Last year I did alright in some predictions, and pretty poorly in others. In years past I’ve always thrown out a few random predictions to mix things up a bit so this isn’t just another predictions post out there. You may like what I say or think I’m crazy, either way I try to have a bit of fun with this each year.

I’ll start off with some early awards predictions, followed by some random stat predictions, and finally the season outcome I see happening.

Early Award Predictions:

Below are some predictions for each end-of-season award. I left a few off that I really don’t care about, why we vote on things like the Ref of the year is still beyond me. I’ll give you my top three for each since that is how we have to vote on it anyways.

Goalkeeper:

1. Nick Rimando (RSL) – Always a frontrunner for this award, I think he’ll have a solid enough season to finally win this award.
2. Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas) – Another always in contention for this, I’d expect his level of play to be better this season after a disappointing finish to the 2011 season.
3. Stefan Frei (Toronto) – I really like Toronto this season and Frei has always had the talent, this year he and his club finally “get there”.

Defender:

1. Jamison Olave (RSL) – The guy is still a beast.
2. George John (FC Dallas) – He’s back for the season and will be looking to secure a big contract at the end of the season.
3. Geoff Cameron (Houston) – He’ll keep them in most games this season, and probably help them win a few too.

Newcomer:

1. Kris Boyd (Portland Timbers) – Love the early look I got of him last week in a preseason game. He’s a natural goal scorer and one that will do very well in MLS.
2. Hamdi Salihi (D.C. United) – A lot rests on how he messes with Dwayne De Rosario but the guy just scores goals. Should be fun to watch.
3. Blas Perez (FC Dallas) – Another guy that is expected to score goals this season, he’ll have a tall order in front of him to lead Dallas but so far he looks good.

(Note: this will easily change as newcomers join the league in the summer)

Coach:

1. Peter Vermes (Sporting KC) – I think KC has a chance to be really special this year.
2. Bruce Arena (LA Galax) – LA is strong and if they can do well in the Champions League and win another Supporters’ Shield then there is no doubt he’ll win this or at least be in contention to again.
3. Aron Winter (Toronto FC) – A wild pick in one sense but I do like where he is taking this club.

Rookie:

1. Kelyn Rowe (New England) – This kid fits in perfectly in the midfield for Jay Heaps. Something about him there makes me think this will be a really good first season for Rowe.
2. Darren Mattocks (Vancouver) – A lot depends on how much time he gets on the field but he showed flashes of how talented he is in the preseason.
3. Luis Silva (Toronto FC) – Don’t sleep on this kid for a moment. Silva fits into Winter’s 4-3-3 perfectly.

MVP:

1. Javier Morales (RSL) – I expect big things from him after a tough 2011.
2. Mauro Rosales (Seattle) – A guy that nearly won the award last season. I’d expect more of the same from him in 2012.
3. Landon Donovan (LA) – He’s always in the mix really and with a slightly more favorable schedule this season, he should continue to put up big numbers.

Next MLSer to move to Europe:

• Brek Shea (FC Dallas) – It will happen before long…I keep saying after the Olympics.
• George John (FC Dallas) – Same as Shea, it will happen before we know it. Third time will be the charm but likely after this season is over.
• Geoff Cameron (Houston) – Throwing this one out there, I’ve always been a fan of Cameron’s game and as he gets more time with the national team, his stock should rise for clubs overseas.

2012 WVH Bold Predictions:

1. MLS will get 4 clubs in CCL knockout stage after this fall’s group stage – LA, RSL, Seattle and Toronto will all make a return to the knockout round after getting through the group stages this fall.
2. A MLS club will win the USOC – Not a stretch but go a head and bet on a MLS club winning it again, my money is on Seattle again to make it four in a row. Though that new format certainly makes it more interesting for another team to win it all.
3. Four clubs add DPs this summer – With the Young DP rule in effect, look for Chicago, DC, Dallas and New York to all add DPs this summer.
4. A couple more Yanks return home – Just a hunch as always but given Rangers financial woes, at least Carlos Bocanegra will return to MLS, maybe even Demarcus Beasley will as well.
5. The 20th club will be announced…and it will be New York. Yeah surprise, surprise. I think some kind of deal gets worked out in this year to add New York. Not sure which group will be part of it or where a stadium will be but something will get done.
6. But a deal with Orlando comes up as well…yes team number 21. I said this was a bold prediction page now didn’t I? I think something also gets worked out in Orlando and they’ll enter MLS a year after NY does.
7. A late run this season will help…Portland – While the East certainly is weaker I do think a late run to get into the playoffs will be done by a Western side. The Timbers have the talent and the chops to get through the West.
8. Golden Boot winner will be…Danny Koevermans (Toronto) – I’ve been saying how much I like Toronto and a big part of it comes down to how well Koevermans looked late last season. He has the size and skill to deal with MLS defenses and I think he has the chance to bag at least 18 goals.
9. Mauro Rosales will lead the league in assists – I’d say he’ll get 15 assists this season.
10. US will finish with a bronze medal in the Olympics – Qualifying will be one thing but I do see the US doing well in London.

Playoff Predictions:

Eastern conference order of finish: Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire, D.C. United, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, Montreal Impact

Western conference order of finish: LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, FC Dallas, Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids, San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps, Chivas USA

Darkhorse clubs: Portland and Chicago

I like both sides to be fairly sneaky this season but Chicago will just barely miss out in a surprisingly crowded East.

Supporter’s Shield Winner: Sporting KC

Notes: With the unbalanced schedule, KC has a chance to get a ton of points on a much weaker conference while clubs like LA, Seattle and RSL will be fighting it out behind them. The unbalanced schedule really opens up nicely for KC to win the Shield this year as they have the talent to do it and the lack of non-MLS games to deal with (only the USOC is on the slate so far outside of MLS).

MLS Cup Winner: LA Galaxy

Notes: They may have to go on the road to win the Cup this year but I think they’ll repeat. Just too much talent not to.

It seems recently I’ve been getting messages and comments on the single table debate. Then over at the New York Times’ soccer blog, Jack Bell throws out his hopes for the idea and what to do with the playoff format.

The obvious question is: Why even bother with two conference? Why not a single table? Glad you asked.

Next season the league with expand to 18 teams, with the addition of Vancouver and Portland. That probably means that a team from the west will be shifted to the other conference, which could prove to be extra silly since the team farthest east is Houston. So perhaps it is time to consider the single table and another new playoff format, one which will make the regular season a bit more important.

With a single table, the top two teams in the regular season would qualify and have a first-round bye. The next four teams, for a total of six, would also advance to the postseason.

Bell mentions Houston for a possible move to the Eastern conference, I’ve been on board with suggesting Dallas due to the fact that there is a professional team here in Dallas that is in a division that is known as the NFC East.

Some of the discussion I’ve had recently was centered around a three division set up. I can for one tell you I hate that idea with a passion. I honestly believe when the league did a three conference/division set up a decade ago it was an idea that ultimately failed them at the time. Its confusing, uneven and just wrong…just wrong.

I’m fine with conferences and if the league continues to grow with more than 20 teams (which I think it will), I’m also fine with as many as four divisons within two conferences.

But deep down I am ready for a single table format here with this league. With two more additions next year it just make sense and I think the league knows that by now. They’ve entertained the thought of it for a while now and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them go that direction soon.

Bell also brings up another interesting though in terms of the playoff format. I’m not sure if it was intentional or a typo on his part but it sounds like he is saying they need to lower the number of clubs that get in to six. So next year with 18 clubs, only six get into the big dance. I like that idea.

I know this debate has gone on time and time again with this league but I do feel we’re getting close to a change in the coming years.

Can New York shut down Javier Morales and RSL? (Getty Images)

So it comes down to this, the two most unlikely candidates to play for a chance at a MLS Cup birth tomorrow night. If you had pegged New York against Real Salt Lake a conference semifinal this year then you obviously knew something more than anyone else in the MLS world.

Seriously though, at the start of the year no one would have had this matchup as a conference final one. Hell, not too many people even had it going into last weekend. But nevertheless these two clubs defied the odds and made it here with a chance to move on to face Columbus in the 2008 MLS Cup in LA.

This is an interesting matchup though. These two clubs always play a very interesting and entertaining contest when they face one another. I think the new stadium effect will be a good one for RSL too. New York has been typically inconsistent on the road this year but no one can over-look what they did in Houston a week ago.

You have two defenses that I find a tad bit overrated and two midfields that need more credit than what they are getting around the league. In goal I would put RSL over New York based on experience, while Danny Cepero has been great thus far I have to think Nick Rimando has a slight edge over him. Offensively speaking I think New York has the edge over RSL. Juan Pablo Angel along with Dane Richards have been extremely hot over the past month or two. RSL has been here and there as far as the offense goes. They can give thanks to plenty of late goals that have got them to where they are right now.

At the end of the night I think this one will be just as good as far as an entertainment value as the game last night. It should be fairly wild as both teams will be going after one another and will not be holding anything back. I think the offensive edge to New York makes me want to pick them in the slight upset. I do like RSL at home but I think a hot Angel and Richards are too much for RSL to contend with right now.

RSL will get on the board but I like Angel to put it home for the Red Bulls and set up the first ever all Eastern Conference MLS Cup.

WVH Prediction: New York 3, RSL 2